Generational Interface

Generational InterfaceGenerational Interface

Successfully Working Across Successfully Working Across Generation LinesGeneration Lines

X420 Discussion #95X420 Discussion #95

None of the requirements of None of the requirements of today’s workforce are driven by today’s workforce are driven by the needs and expectations of the needs and expectations of

any one generation!any one generation!

Workplace 2006 is HereWorkplace 2006 is HereVeterans or Veterans or

TraditionalistTraditionalistss

BabyBabyBoomersBoomers

Gen XersGen Xers MillennialsMillennials

Birth YearsBirth Years Pre-1946Pre-1946 1946-19641946-1964 1965-19811965-1981 1982-20001982-2000

PopulationPopulationSizeSize

75 million75 million(25% still in(25% still inWorkplace) Workplace)

80 million80 million 46 million46 million 76 million76 million

InfluencesInfluencesGreat Great

Depression;Depression;WWII;WWII;GI BillGI Bill

Economic Economic Prosperity; Prosperity; Vietnam; Vietnam;

Watergate; Watergate; Protest;Protest;

Human rights;Human rights;Promiscuity;Promiscuity;

Drugs;Drugs;Rock n roll;Rock n roll;

Dual incomesDual incomes

MTV;MTV;Personal Personal

Computers;Computers;Divorce;Divorce;

AIDS; Drugs;AIDS; Drugs;Loss of Loss of

“world” safety“world” safety

Technology;Technology;The Media;The Media;

Gangs;Gangs;Pervasive Pervasive violence; violence;

Greater gulf Greater gulf between between

haves and haves and have-notshave-nots

Number 1 Reason for Keeping or Number 1 Reason for Keeping or Changing JobsChanging Jobs

VeteransVeterans BoomersBoomers Gen XersGen Xers MillenialsMillenials

Loyalty to Loyalty to CustomersCustomers

Making aMaking aDifferenceDifference

Building a Building a CareerCareer

Work that Work that has has

MeaningMeaning

Veteran TraitsVeteran Traits Patriotic; LoyalPatriotic; Loyal ConservativeConservative Faith in InstitutionsFaith in Institutions Value hard work; High work ethicValue hard work; High work ethic Respect military model, authority, Respect military model, authority,

law & orderlaw & order ExperienceExperience

Baby Boomer TraitsBaby Boomer Traits Idealistic & OptimisticIdealistic & Optimistic Tough competition for jobs & promotions; Tough competition for jobs & promotions;

highly competitivehighly competitive Question authorityQuestion authority Believe hard work and dedication will gain Believe hard work and dedication will gain

them recognition and rewardsthem recognition and rewards Value health, wellness, personal growth, Value health, wellness, personal growth,

and involvementand involvement Experienced; Team-workers; Skilled at Experienced; Team-workers; Skilled at

mentoringmentoring

Generation X TraitsGeneration X Traits ResourcefulResourceful Comfortable with changeComfortable with change Self-reliant & AdaptableSelf-reliant & Adaptable Saw Vets & Boomers downsized—Saw Vets & Boomers downsized—

know the “paternal corporation” is know the “paternal corporation” is history; distrust institutionshistory; distrust institutions

Info-highway pioneersInfo-highway pioneers Generation that got rid of “The Box”Generation that got rid of “The Box”

Millennials TraitsMillennials Traits AKA “The Digital Generation”AKA “The Digital Generation” Cyber literateCyber literate IntegratedIntegrated Techno SavvyTechno Savvy Expect 24 hour infoExpect 24 hour info RealisticRealistic Environmentally consciousEnvironmentally conscious Will try anythingWill try anything

Friction & ConflictFriction & Conflict

The most common intergenerational The most common intergenerational problems concern managing & problems concern managing &

motivatingmotivating

It’s hard to motivate, coach and give It’s hard to motivate, coach and give assignments to someone you don’t assignments to someone you don’t

understandunderstand

Negative StereotypesNegative Stereotypes

VeteransVeterans

Can’t learn technologyCan’t learn technology Refuse to give up the reinsRefuse to give up the reins Non-engagedNon-engaged

BoomersBoomers MaterialisticMaterialistic Work hard not smartWork hard not smart ““Sold out” their idealsSold out” their ideals Heavily in debtHeavily in debt Not loyalNot loyal

Gen XersGen Xers Haven’t paid their duesHaven’t paid their dues Too young for managementToo young for management Say what they thinkSay what they think SlackersSlackers AggressiveAggressive AnnoyingAnnoying LoudLoud

MillennialsMillennials

Unaware of lack of skillsUnaware of lack of skills Require excessive affirmationRequire excessive affirmation MTV generationMTV generation

What are Values?What are Values?

Things that define the type of person Things that define the type of person we are or want to bewe are or want to be

Set of guiding principlesSet of guiding principles Framework to help us to decide the Framework to help us to decide the

“right thing to do”“right thing to do”

Veteran ValuesVeteran Values Job stabilityJob stability Long-term careersLong-term careers Great reputationGreat reputation Fiscal responsibilityFiscal responsibility Take care of possessions & Take care of possessions &

responsibilitiesresponsibilities

Boomer ValuesBoomer Values Who am I?Who am I? Where did my passion go?Where did my passion go? Seek organizations with integritySeek organizations with integrity Politically correctPolitically correct Eager to put their stamp on thingsEager to put their stamp on things Good payGood pay Community involvementCommunity involvement

Gen X ValuesGen X Values

Be my own bossBe my own boss Team environment contrasted with Team environment contrasted with

entrepreneurial spiritentrepreneurial spirit Advancement opportunityAdvancement opportunity

Millennial ValuesMillennial Values High value on educationHigh value on education High value on life style balanceHigh value on life style balance Work is NOT the most important thingWork is NOT the most important thing Stepping stone for future opportunitiesStepping stone for future opportunities High techHigh tech InnovativeInnovative Diverse workforceDiverse workforce Be my own bossBe my own boss

RecruitmentRecruitmentEngagementEngagement

Management & RetentionManagement & Retention

VeteransVeterans Recognize their loyalty and Recognize their loyalty and

experienceexperience Select activities that help them show Select activities that help them show

what they knowwhat they know Remember that traditionalists have Remember that traditionalists have

career paths toocareer paths too Focus on evolution not revolutionFocus on evolution not revolution

BoomersBoomers Be aware of their competitive natureBe aware of their competitive nature Acknowledge their contributionsAcknowledge their contributions Focus on how they can make an Focus on how they can make an

impactimpact Offer continued training Offer continued training

opportunities—especially life skills & opportunities—especially life skills & balancebalance

Gen XersGen Xers Respect their skepticismRespect their skepticism Establish your credentialsEstablish your credentials Show you have a sense of humorShow you have a sense of humor Let them know you like themLet them know you like them Talk about how training applies to Talk about how training applies to

their careers, not just their jobstheir careers, not just their jobs

MillennialsMillennials Don’t assume they are all at the Don’t assume they are all at the

same level of trainingsame level of training Expect to do some remedial trainingExpect to do some remedial training Teach in shorter modulesTeach in shorter modules Make it fun!Make it fun! Help them to visualize how the Help them to visualize how the

training applies to their jobstraining applies to their jobs Understand they learn best by Understand they learn best by

collaboratingcollaborating

The Workplace The Workplace as anas an

InstitutionInstitution

VeteransVeterans 40% think their companies don’t try 40% think their companies don’t try

hard enough to retain themhard enough to retain them 70% think a 1-company career is 70% think a 1-company career is

goodgood 48% think training opportunities play 48% think training opportunities play

a role in staying with their companya role in staying with their company 73% plan to return to work in some 73% plan to return to work in some

capacity after they retirecapacity after they retire

BoomersBoomers 43% think they lack mentoring 43% think they lack mentoring

opportunities—30% think that opportunities—30% think that contributes to job dissatisfactioncontributes to job dissatisfaction

75% think time off would be the 75% think time off would be the greatest rewardgreatest reward

35% think a 1-company career is 35% think a 1-company career is goodgood

Prone to workplace burn-outProne to workplace burn-out

Gen XersGen Xers 30% have left a job due to lack of 30% have left a job due to lack of

training opportunitiestraining opportunities 80% of men put time with family 80% of men put time with family

above challenging work or a higher above challenging work or a higher salarysalary

Only 17% think a 1-company career Only 17% think a 1-company career is goodis good

MillennialsMillennials Globally awareGlobally aware Cyber literateCyber literate Techno-savvyTechno-savvy Personal safety is #1 workplace issuePersonal safety is #1 workplace issue Expect diversity in population Expect diversity in population Expect variety in jobExpect variety in job

Improving FeedbackImproving Feedbackandand

CommunicationCommunication

VeteransVeterans Typical Behavior Pattern:Typical Behavior Pattern:

• ““No news is good news”No news is good news”• May not be sending enough info down May not be sending enough info down

the ladder, nor receptive to info coming the ladder, nor receptive to info coming up the ladderup the ladder

Action:Action:• Need training in feedback skills (50% Need training in feedback skills (50%

have NEVER received this type of have NEVER received this type of training)training)

• Assume they CAN change behaviorsAssume they CAN change behaviors

BoomersBoomers

Typical Behavior Pattern:Typical Behavior Pattern:• Once a year, formal, documentedOnce a year, formal, documented

ActionAction• Initiate weekly, informal talks and Initiate weekly, informal talks and

formally document themformally document them

Gen XersGen Xers Typical Behavior Pattern:Typical Behavior Pattern:

• ““So how am I doing?”So how am I doing?”• Give feedback all the time & to the pointGive feedback all the time & to the point

Action:Action:• Be availableBe available• Allow freedom for continuous learning Allow freedom for continuous learning

on their career pathson their career paths• Tell it like it is! (Gen Xers have well-Tell it like it is! (Gen Xers have well-

tuned BS monitor)tuned BS monitor)

MillennialsMillennials Typical Behavior Pattern:Typical Behavior Pattern:

• ““I want it with the push of a button.”I want it with the push of a button.”• ““Let’s all talk about it.”Let’s all talk about it.”

Action:Action:• Initiate the connection; consider Initiate the connection; consider

electronic connections & newsletterelectronic connections & newsletter• Make it visualMake it visual• Allow them active role in creating their Allow them active role in creating their

own education and work plansown education and work plans

Performance RewardsPerformance Rewards

VeteransVeterans Seek high-performing traditionalists & mix Seek high-performing traditionalists & mix

them with high-potential Xers to transfer them with high-potential Xers to transfer the learningthe learning

Consider alternative scheduling or job Consider alternative scheduling or job sharingsharing

Make them feel part of the company Make them feel part of the company cultureculture

Help them ease into retirementHelp them ease into retirement Recognize the satisfaction of a job well Recognize the satisfaction of a job well

donedone

BoomersBoomers Money, Title, RecognitionMoney, Title, Recognition Recognize them as the first Recognize them as the first

“sandwiched” generation caring for “sandwiched” generation caring for children as well as parentschildren as well as parents

Provide time off with payProvide time off with pay Provide life skills and balance Provide life skills and balance

trainingtraining Provide second-career avenuesProvide second-career avenues

Gen XersGen Xers Xers have shaken up the rewards Xers have shaken up the rewards

systemsystem Skeptical about jobs & organizationsSkeptical about jobs & organizations Prefer time with family and outside Prefer time with family and outside

interestsinterests Provide opportunities for personal Provide opportunities for personal

and professional life developmentand professional life development

MillennialsMillennials

Provide work that has meaningProvide work that has meaning

If managers construct a If managers construct a workplace based on a single workplace based on a single generation’s expectations of generation’s expectations of

beliefs and conditions, they will beliefs and conditions, they will alienate at least half of their alienate at least half of their

staff.staff.

Old Workplace SayingsOld Workplace Sayings Lean and __________Lean and __________ We don’t have time to train people. We don’t have time to train people.

We need to hire people who can We need to hire people who can _____ the ______________ the _________

Career development is up to the____Career development is up to the____ If you don’t like it here, ________If you don’t like it here, ________

Successful Endings to Old SayingsSuccessful Endings to Old Sayings

Lean and Lean and flexibleflexible We We budgetbudget to train people. We need to train people. We need

to hire people who can to hire people who can learnlearn Career development is up to the Career development is up to the

individual and the organizationindividual and the organization If you don’t like it here, If you don’t like it here, why?why?

Traditional WorkplaceTraditional Workplace

Security from the institutionSecurity from the institution Promotions based on longevityPromotions based on longevity Loyalty to the organizationLoyalty to the organization Wait to be told what to doWait to be told what to do Respect based on position/titleRespect based on position/title

New Generation WorkplaceNew Generation Workplace Security from withinSecurity from within Promotions based on performancePromotions based on performance Loyalty to themselvesLoyalty to themselves Challenge authorityChallenge authority You must earn respect—don’t expect You must earn respect—don’t expect

one thing from them that you don’t one thing from them that you don’t and won’t deliver yourself—be an and won’t deliver yourself—be an exampleexample

The ChallengeThe Challenge Respect everyone’s point of viewRespect everyone’s point of view Practice tolerancePractice tolerance Capitalize on the different points of Capitalize on the different points of

view and styles of every personview and styles of every person Clarify for every person his or her Clarify for every person his or her

role in relation to the mission or role in relation to the mission or goalsgoals

Make diversity a strengthMake diversity a strength

The Challenge continuedThe Challenge continued

Be approachableBe approachable Take time to be personalTake time to be personal Encourage employee growthEncourage employee growth Help employees see “The Big Help employees see “The Big

Picture”Picture” Build MoraleBuild Morale

Know Your PeopleKnow Your People

…and what motivates them.…and what motivates them.